Paper dispenser



Aug. 15, 1967 E. F GEN 3,335,973

PAPER DISPENSER Filed July l5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l 73 33 jg l0 E. F. GENN PAPER DISPENSER Aug. 15, 1967 Filed July 15, 1965 United States Patent O 3,335,973 PAPER DISPENSER Earl F. Genn, 352 Bristol Lane, Arlington Heights, Ill. 60005 Filed July 15, 1965, Ser. No. 472,173 9 Claims. (Cl. 242-5553) This invention relates to a new and improved paper dispenser.

Many attempts have been made in recent years to avoid the inconvenience of running out of paper in dispensers for hand towels and toilet tissues. In order to increase the capacity of the paper holding devices various manufacturers have devised means for holding or storing two rolls of paper at or near 'the site of the dispenser. This only increased the time interval between rellings of the dispenser with paper. The need for greater paper capacity is very real. The number of homes being built is constantly increasing, there fare numerous apartment houses being built, and because of our great addiction to traveling, the number of motels and hotels is far exceeding our anticipated expansion in this eld. The obtaining of adequate labor yfor the servicing of motel and hotel rooms is sometimes difficult. Often a room may be cleaned and yet the toilet tissue is exhausted or about to run out without the cleaning attendant knowing it. It is with this Ibackground that the present invention was conceived.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a paper dispenser having two sources of paper supply, one of which is recessed and concealed within the dispenser and the other of which is exposed and ready for use.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a novel roll paper dispenser having a pivotable linkage with a roll paper supp-ly carried at the ends thereof and arranged so that only one roll will be exposed and extended and ready for use while the other roll or rolls will be recessed and concealed.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a novel device as set forth in the preceding object having a cover member joined to the roll carrying linkage and arranged to cover the recessed roll or -rolls and leave the extended roll exposed.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for paper rolls in which rolls are rotatably mounted on the ends of rockable links and whereby either roll may be rocked outwardly for use.

A further important object is to provide a device as defined in the preceding object in which the links are rockable in response to shifting movement of a cover.

A still further important object of this invention is to supply a novel paper roll dispenser in which a cover is shiftable between two positions to thereby expose one roll for immediate dispensing and conceal the other roll for subsequent dispensing.

Another and still further important object of this invention is to provide indicator means in association with the devices as described in lthe preceding objects so that when the recessed roll or rolls are exhausted of papel' supply an indicating means will be actuated.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a roll supporting arrangement which substantially locks the roll against unauthorized removal.

Other and further important objects and advantages will `become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is fa front elevational View of the paper dispenser of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the dispenser as shown in FIGURE 1.

ICC

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showing the details of a pivot mounting construction as used in this invention.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the .line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view showing a wiring diagram and incorporating therein a cross sectional view of the switch used to indicate a lack of pape-r in the dispenser.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a building wall having an opening 11 therein. It is within this opening that the dispenser of this invention is mounted. As previously stated the dispenser may be either for paper towels or toilet tissues. The wall in which the paper dispenser ixture is to be placed may be plaster, tile, or any of various dry wall constructions. Or, alternatively the dispenser of this invention may be mounted on the surface of a wall. In some existing buildings it would be diicut `to recess the dispenser within a wall and hence surface mountings are desir-able.

The dispense-r is provided with a housing or supporting structure 12 which is secured to a wall or within the wall opening 11 by the usual means for fastening bathroom or kitchen fixtures. The housing 12 is provided with a generally rectangularly shaped recessed portion 13. This iixture recessed portion comprises a back wall 14, a curved lwall 15 extending from the top of the back wall forwardly to the surface of the building wall 10. A similar curved wall 16 joins the bottom of the back wall 14 and projects forwardly to a position generally tiush with the surface of the bui-lding wall 10. The recess 13 has its enclosure completed by side or end walls 17 and 18 which are parallel to one another and spaced apart a distance suthcient to contain the paper to be dispensed. A flange 19 lying flush against the building wall 10 completes the housing 12 of the paper dispenser. The liange 19 is integral with and is disposed at generally right angles to the forward edges of the curved walls 15 and 16 and the side walls 17 `and 18. The ange 19 thus forms a rectangular frame for the recessed portion 13 of the dispenser. The rectangularly shaped recess 13 denes a first paper roll chamber 20 at the top thereof and a second paper roll chamber 21 directly therebeneath.

The paper dispenser of this invention is concerned primarily with the dispensing of rolled paper. These rolls are carried on laterally spaced apart roll carrying arms 22 and 23. Ea-ch of the arms 22 and 23 is carried in a pivot support at 24 and 25 respectively in the side walls 17 and 18 respectively. The details of the pivots 24 and 25 as carried by the side walls -17 and 18 will be described later in this specification by a description of `the pivot mounting as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The arms 22 and 23 function as a pair and oscillate in unison to cause either the upper ends or the lower ends thereof to be extended or retracted from and within the fixture recess 13.

The roll [carrying arm 22 is provided with enlarged generally circularly shaped outer ends 26 and 27 and similarly the arm 23 is provided with enlarged generally circularly shaped outer ends 28 and 29. The sectional view as shown in FIGURE 4 -is illustrative of all of the enlarged ends 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the arms 22 and 23. The enlarged ends of the arms are provided with inwardly opening sockets 30 to receive the ends of roll cores 31 and 32 in both the tops and bottoms of the roll carrying arms 22 and 23. The sockets 30 are of substantial diameter to provide for the reception of cylindrical cores 31 and 32 of relatively large diameters. The roll cores comprise telescoped closed end sleeve members 33 and 34 as shown in FIGURE 4. A compression spring 35 constantly urges the extension of the sleeves 33 and 34 for retention of the cores wit-hin the sockets 30 of the ends of the roll carrying arms 22 and 23. Removal of the cores 31 and 32 from the sockets 30 is accomplished by inserting a key or the like (not shown) through an axial end opening 30a to thereby compress the sleeves 33 and 34 against the action of the spring 35. The compressed sleeves may then be pulled out from the sockets and thus paper rolls carried on the cores may be removed or replaced as desired. A principal function of the large diameter cores is to prevent unwarranted paper roll removal. In public washrooms it is especially desirable to prevent roll removal except by 4authorized personnel. Because a key is required to effect roll removal it accomplishes the desired roll locking. To further insure that the rolls are not tarnpered with the spacing between the roll carrying arms is such that it prevents the entrance of a persons fingers to effect core sleeves compression and removal. Removal of rolls is made only through the use of an axial end key.

The cores 31 and 32 support paper rolls 36 and 37 respectively. As shown in FIGURE 2 the roll 36 is recessed within the chamber 20 of the fixture of this ini vention. The paper roll 37 is shown extended in a forward position from the chamber 21. The device inherently provides for the rocking of the two rolls 36 and 37 to either a recessed or an extended position by reason of the rocking of the roll carrying arms 22 .and 23 about their respective axially aligned pivots 24 and 25.

A cover 38 generally rectangular in shape and dished is movable between two positions and is used to cover either of the paper rolls 36 or 37 in the dispenser of this invention. As shown in FIGURE 2 the cover is disposed at the top of the rectangular frame and acts to conceal the recessed roll 36. In FIGURE the cover 38 has been moved to its lowermost position on the rectangular frame 13 so that it acts to conceal the now recessed roll 37. The device is so arranged that movement of the cover from its one position to its other position causes a concurrent rocking of the roll carrying arms 22 and 23 to thereby automatically cause a recessing of the roll at the position of the cover and concurrently to automatically extend and expose the other of the rolls.

Links 39 and 40 are pivotally mounted at 41 and 42 respectively to the inside top of the shiftable cover 38. In order to obtain close abutment of the cover 38 to the ange 19 of the dispenser, the ends of the links at the location of their pivots are angled slightly as shown at 43 and 44. The other ends of the links 39 and 40 constitute bell crank levers 45 and 46 which 4are pivoted at 47 and 48 respectively. The pivots 47 and 48 are carried on the side walls 17 and 18 respectively of the paper dispensing fixture of this invention. Extensions 49 and 50 of the links 39 and 40 project beyond the pivots 47 and 48. Each of these arm extensions 49 and 50 is provided with elongated slots 51 and 52 running lengthwise of the arm extension. Axially aligned 'spaced apart pins 53 and 54 are mounted in and Vcarried on the outer ends of the tops of the roll carrying arms 22 and 23 on the axis of the opposed lroll carrying sockets 30. Each of the pins 53 and 54 is provided with a centrally disposed axial hole therethrough designated by the numerals 53a and 54a respectively. It is through these holes 53a and 54a that the key means is applied to compress the core elements in effecting the removal of the core from the sockets. The pins 53 and 54 are mounted within openings 30a in the sockets 30. The pins 53 and 54 extend outwardly and pass through the elongated slots 51 and 52 in the arm extensions 49 and 50. It is this connection between the cover links and the roll carrying arms that causes the rocking of the roll carrying arms 22 and 23 about their pivots 24 and 25.

The bottom of the cover 38 is provided with links 55 and 56 somewhat similar to the links 39 and 40 provided at the top of the cover. The links 55 and S6 are pivotally mounted at their one end to the inside bottom of the cover 38 at 57 and S8. The links 55 and 56 have their ends angled at 59 and 60 respectively at a position closely adjacent their pivotal mountings 57 and 58 on the cover 38. These angled ends combine with the angled ends 43 and 44 of the upper links to cause the cover 38 to tit closely adjacent the front -face of the tissue dispenser of this invention. The other ends of the links 55 and 56 are pivotally mounted at 61 and 62 which are respectively carried on the side walls 17 and 18 of this dispensing fixture.

Pivots 24, 25, 47, 48, 61 and 62 have all been described as being carried by the side walls 17 and 18 of this dispenser. These pivots are all of the same construction. An enlarged sectional view of the pivot 62 is shown in FIG- URE 3 and it should be understood that this is representative of all of the several pivot mountings. A screw 63 is mounted on the side wall 18 such that a head 64 thereof is disposed on the outside of the wall 18 with a threaded shank 65 extending therethrough. A nut 66 threadedly en gages the shank 65 and is drawn up tightly against the inside of the wall 18. An inward extension of the shank 65 is turned down and constitutes the pivot pin 62. The pin 62 is journally mounted in and near the inner end of the link 56. Pivots 24, 25, 47, 48, 61 and 62 all have stub pivot pins projecting inwardly from the walls 17 and 18 to receive and journally support the roll carrying arms 22 v and 23, the links 39 and 40, and the links 55 and 56.

The cover 38 is preferably provided with a hand gripping element which may be of any shape or design as desired. In the device as shown the element is a notch 67 which permits engagement by an operators hand to etfect movement of the cover 38 from its upper position -to its lower position or vice versa. ln the device as shown in FIGURE 2 the cover 38 is shown in its upper position to conceal the paper roll 36 thus leaving the lower roll 37 extended outwardly in an exposed position and ready for use. The shifting cover 38 is moved from its upper position to its lower position as shown in FIGURE 5. The roll carrying arms 22 and 23 are shifted or rocked about their respective pivots 24 and 25 by reason of the arcuate swinging movement of the bell crank levers 45 and 46 about their respective pivots 47 and 48 which causes the upper roll 36 to swing outwardly and the lower roll 37 to swing inwardly. The roll 36 is then exposed and in an extended position ready for use while the lower roll 37 is recessed within the fixture and concealed by the cover 38.

In a device such as described herein wherein one roll is exposed and extended and ready for use while the other one is recessed and enclosed and not in use, it is desirable to temporarily lock the rolls in their operative position against unwarranted shifting. In order to keep the roll carrying arms 22 and 23 from loosely shifting back and forth, a simple over-center spring lock is employed. In the form of over-center lock shown in the drawings, a leaf-like spring 68 in the nature of a toggle has one end thereof engaging -a lug 69 on the roll carrying arm 23. The lug 69 is provided with a notch 70 to receive the end of the spring 68. A lug 71 in lateral alignment with the lug 69 is ixedly mounted on the inside of the back wall 14 of the paper dispensing fixture. The lug 71 is provided with an inwardly opening notch 72 to receive the other end of the spring arm 68. This mechanism constitutes a simple over-center lock for the roll carrying arms 22 and 23 and prevents undesirable rocking of `the roll carrying arms except when they are positively shifted by movement of the cover plate 38. The lock is not for the purpose of preventing shifting but rather to prevent undesirable rocking or yielding of the roll that is extended and in use. The over-center lock is easily overcome by forces applied through the link arms carrying the shiftable cover 38.

A visible signal is provided in association with the paper roll carrying fixture of this invention to enable an attendant to know whether the concealed ends of the roll carrying arms are carrying a full roll or a roll that is exhausted of its paper supply. The form of visible signal as shown in the drawings is an electric light 73 which is preferably mounted at the top and front of the roll carrying fixture of this invention. A switch box 74 is mounted on the inside of the back wall 14 at a position spaced from the lug 71 carrying the end of the toggle spring 68. A rst spring feeler arm 75 is supported by the switch box 74 and projects upwardly into the chamber 20 so that when a full paper roll is disposed in the chamber 20 it will cause the feeler arm 75 to be swung rearwardly. A second spring feeler arm 76 is supported on the switch box 74 and projects downwardly into the roll carrying chamber 21 of the paper dispenser. As best shown in the diagrammatic View of FIGURE 6, a lug 77 is mounted on the front cover of the switch box 74 and is adapted to carry the spring feeler arms 75 and 76. The electrical switch used in this mechanism employs an upper actuator pin 78 and a spaced apart parallel lower actuator pin 79. A cross beam 80 joins the inner ends of the actuator pins 78 and 79. The actuator pins and the cross beam form a unitary member such that when either or both of the actuator pins 78 and 79 are depressed inwardly by reason of a paper roll contacting one of the feeler arms, such as the roll 37 engaging the feeler arm 76 as shown in FIG- URE 5, both actuator pins 78 and 79 will simultaneously move inwardly so that the cross beam 80 retains its parallelism with the front and back walls of the switch box '74. A xed electrical contact 81 is provided in the switch box 74 and is adapted to be engaged by the cross beam 80. Springs 82 are disposed within the box 74 and normally retain the cross beam 80 in engagement with the contact 81. An electrical circuit for the signal system is designated generally by the numeral 83 and includes a battery or other source of electrical power 84, an electrical conductor 85 from the battery 84 to the cross beam 80, an electrical conductor 86 from the contact 81 to the signal light 73, and an electrical conductor 87 from the signal light 73 to the other 'side of the battery 84. The electrical circuit 83 is now complete to thus insure that whenever the recessed roll is out of paper the visible signal will be actuated. In the device as shown the signal light 73 will be illuminated thereby advising an attendant that the device needs restocking with paper. As further shown in FIGURE l the signal light 73 is surrounded by a circular ange 88 forming a part of the perimetral ange 19 of the xture.

As best shown in FIGURE 2 the paper roll 37 is extended and ready for use. In order to clearly understand the operation of the device the end 89 of the paper roll supply 37 is shown extending downwardly from the roll at a location spaced from the building wall a distance approximately equal to the radius of the roll 37. Similarly when the upper roll 36 is extended such as shown in FIGURE 5 the end 90 of the paper roll 36 is shown exltending downwardly at a position spaced outwardly from the building wall 10 and thus freely passes over the cover 38 which now conceals the lower roll 37.

In operation the paper dispenser is ixedly mounted in a building wall 10 in any desired manner after which it is equipped with paper rolls to be dispensed. The rolls 36 and 37 are mounted on the cores 31 and 32 at the outer ends of the roll carrying arms 22 and 23. One of these rolls will always be exposed and extended from the tixture and ready for use while the other roll will be recessed and concealed by the cover plate 38. It is inherent in the subject invention to have two separate sources of paper supply wherein either one of such paper supplies will be recessed within the fixture housing and the other will be extended from the housing and ready for use. In the device as shown the cover 38 for the housing 12 is shiftable to either of two positions. In both of these positions the cover conceals the recessed paper supply and exposes the extended paper supply. Further, there is linkage as described above associated with the cover 38 to effect the shiftable movement of the paper supplies from a recessed position to Ian extended position and vice versa. In this instance the paper supplies are paper rolls 36 and 37 carried at the ends of the rockable arms 22 and 23. As shown in FIGURE 2 the cover 38 conceals the upper roll 36 and leaves the extended roll 37 exposed and ready for use. The roll is dispensed by a user upon pulling the end 89 of the paper roll 37. When the paper roll 37 is exhausted the user of the fixture grips the hand engaging element 67 of the cover 38 and pulls outwardly and downwardly in the direction of the dashed line arrow 91. The cover carrying links constitute a parallel linkage so that the cover 38 remains in substantial parallelism with the wall surface 10 throughout its movement from its upper position as shown in FIGURE 2 to its lower position as shown in FIGURE 5. As shown in FIGURE 5 the upper roll 36 is extended from the housing 12 so that the end 9i) of the roll 36 may be easily used. Conversely when it is desired to shift the cover from its bottom position to its top position the cover is moved in the direction of the dashed line arrows 92 to its upper position as shown in FIGURE 2. For a clearer understanding a dashed line position of the cover 38 is shown at 93. This is an intermediate position of the cover 38 between its operative upper and lower positions and clearly indicates the shifting movement of the roll carrying arms by the cover linka-ge. In the lower position of the cover 38 as shown in FIGURE 5 the over-center locking spring 68 will be curved upwardly as shown, whereas in the upper position of the cover 38 the over-center spring arm 68 will be curved downwardly. The visible indicator mechanism as shown by the light 73 is inactive as long as the recessed roll in the dispenser is substantially full of paper supply but when the recessed roll is empty the circuit to the indicator light 73 is completed causing it to be illuminated. Another feature of the operation is the employment of end apertures in the roll receiving sockets to permit oompression of the telescoped cores by key means and thereby remove and replace rolls as desired in the paper dispenser of this invention.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A paper dispensing xture comprising a housing, said housing having a generally vertically disposed front face, a first paper supply in said housing, a second paper supply in said housing, means alternatively causing one of said paper supplies to be recessed within said housing to an extent it does not materially extend out past said vertically disposed front face and the other of said paper supplies to be extended from said housing to a position substantiallyout from said vertical-ly disposed front face.

2. A paper dispensing xture comprising a housing, said housing having a generally vertically disposed front face, a first paper supply in said housing, a second paper supply in said housing, means alternatively causing one of said paper supplies to be recessed within said housing to an extent it does not materially extend out past said vertically disposed front face and the other of said paper supplies to be extended from said housing to a position substantially out from said vertically disposed front face, a cover for said housing shiftable to either of two positions, and whereby when the cover is in either of its two positions it will conceal the recessed paper supply and expose the extended paper supply.

3. A paper dispensing xture comprising a housing, said housing having a generally vertically disposed front face, a first paper roll supply in said housing, a second paper roll supply in said housing, means alternatively shifting said paper roll supplies whereby one paper roll supply will be recessed within said housing to an extent it does not materially extend out past said vertically disposed front face and the other of said paper roll supass-5,973

7. plies will be extended from said housing to a position substantially out from said vertically disposed front face. 4. A paper dispensing iixture comprising a housing,

said housing having a generally vertically disposed front face, a first paper roll supply in said housing, a second paper `roll supply in said housing, means alternatively shifting said paper roll supplies in said housing whereby one paper roll supply will be recessed within said housing to an extent it does not materially extend out past said vertically disposed front face and the other of said paper roll supplies to be extended from said housing to a position substantially out from said vertically disposed front face, a cover for a part of the vertical face of said housing, said cover shiftable to either of two positions on said vertical face, and whereby when the cover is in either of its two positions it will conceal the recessed paper roll supply and expose the extended paper roll supply.

5. A paper dispensing iixture comprising a housing, said housing having a generally vertically disposed front face, roll carrying arms pivotally mounted substantially on their centers within said housing, a first paper roll in said housing Carried in the ends of said arms on one side of said pivot, a second paper roll in said housing carried in the ends of said arms on the other side of said pivot, said roll carrying arms swingable between two limiting positions, whereby in one limiting position one of said paper rolls will be recessed within said housing to an extent it does not materially extend out past said vertically disposed front face and the other of said paper rolls will be extended from said housing, and in the other limiting position of the roll carrying arms the previously recessed roll will be extended and the previously extended roll will be recessed.

6. A paper dispensing fixture comprising a housing, vertically disposed roll carrying arms mounted substantially at their centers on horizontally disposed pivots within said housing, roll receiving sockets in the ends of said arms, a lirst paper roll carried in the spaced apart sockets in the ends of said arms above said pivot, a second paper roll carried in the spaced apart sockets in the ends of said arms below said pivot, whereby one of said paper rolls will be recessed within said housing and the other of said paper rolls will be extended from said housing, and a shiftable cover for said housing adapted to move to either of two positions whereby the recessed roll will always be concealed and the extended roll will always be exposed.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which linkage means is arranged to join said cover with said roll carry# ing arms whereby shifting movement of the cover causes a concurrent rocking movement of the roll carrying arms to alternately cause extension of one roll of paper and recessng of the other roll of paper.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which said linkage means includes bell crank levers with lost motion elongated slot means.

9. A paper dispensing ixture comprising a housing, roll carrying arms pivotally mounted at substantially their centers within said housing, overcenter spring locking means associated with said arms to yieldably hold said arms in either of two limit positions, a first paper roll carried in the ends of said arms on one side of said pivot, a second paper roll carried in the ends of said arms on the other side of said pivot, whereby one of said paper rolls will be recessed within said housing and the other of said paper rolls will be extended from said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,386,408 10/1945 Schiff 24255.3 2,655,863 10/1953 Hofer 101--6-9 3,051,404 8/1962 Ritchey 242-552 3,126,234 3/964 Batlas et al. 312-39 3,211,504 lll/1965 Bump S12-39 LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PAPER DISPENING FIXTURE COMPRISING A HOUSING, SAID HOUSING HAVING A GENERALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRONT FACE, A FIRST PAPER SUPPLY IN SAID HOUSING, A SECOND PAPER SUPPLY IN SAID HOUSING, MEANS ALTERNATIVELY CAUSING ONE OF SAID PAPER SUPPLIES TO BE RECESSED WITHIN SAID HOUSING TO AN EXTEND IT DOES NOT MATERIALLY EXTEND OUT PAST SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRONT FACE AND THE OUTER OF SAID PAPER SUPPLIES TO BE EXTENDED SAID HOUSING TO A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY OUT FROM SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRONT FACE. 